Method for crediting or recrediting a data card with a given amount

ABSTRACT

A method for loading or reloading a SIM card ( 7 ) for a mobile device ( 6 ). The SIM card ( 7 ) has an electronic chip with a storage device ( 11 ). In the storage device ( 11 ) a monetary sum ( 28 ) is stored, and decreases as the mobile telephone is used. For loading or reloading the monetary sum, a prepayable value card ( 13 ) is purchased. The value card ( 13 ) has a code field ( 14 ) covered by a removable opaque layer ( 22 ). Upon removal of the layer ( 22 ), a code ( 15 ) becomes visible. The holder of the SIM card and the value card calls a service number using a communication apparatus ( 6, 8 ). The caller is thereby connected to a data base ( 17 ) in which all codes assigned to value cards ( 13 ) and the sum of money associated with each code are stored. The caller is prompted to enter the code ( 15 ) on the calling communication apparatus. The code ( 15 ) entered is compared with the codes stored in the data base ( 6, 8 ). If the entered code ( 15 ) is found in the data base, a short message containing the value of the monetary sum ( 28 ) to be loaded or reloaded is prepared and temporarily stored in a short message service center ( 18, 19 ). The monetary sum ( 28 ) and the code ( 15 ) are marked in the data base ( 17 ) as used or cancelled. The next time the SIM card ( 7 ) is inserted in any mobile telephone ( 6 ) and a connection is established with the communication network ( 9 ), the SIM card ( 7 ) to be loaded or reloaded is loaded or reloaded with the temporarily stored monetary amount ( 28 ) via of the prepared short message ( 20 ).

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/CH97/00307 filed Aug. 21, 1997 which designated the U.S.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method for loading or reloading a datamedium card, especially an SIM card for a communication deviceassociated with a communication network, with a monetary sum, this datamedium card being provided with a storage means in which the monetarysum is stored.

SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) cards are customarily usednowadays in mobile telephones in a mobile network according to the GSM(Global System for Mobile Communications) standard. Among other things,SIM cards serve to identify a subscriber and serve thesubscriber-earmarked billing of telephone calls made by that subscriberover the mobile network. In contrast to wire-connected telephoneapparatuses, the loads in GSM networks are no longer billed to apermanently installed apparatus, but rather directly to the holder ofthe respective SIM card.

European Patent Application EP 0 689 368 discloses a device fortransmitting messages in a mobile communication network where the use ofSIM cards, particularly for transmitting short messages, is extended tothe processing of special services according to a special procedureaccessible only to certain authorized subscribers. This device offersthe possibility not only of transmitting any desired bit streams intransparent mode according to the GSM Phase 2 standard as a shortmessage from a service center to the SIM card, but also of sending orreceiving data and executable instructions to or from authorizedsubscribers. This is done without having to modify internationallyestablished standards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now describes a certain special service, orrespectively a certain function, viz., a method of loading or reloadinga data medium card, especially a SIM card, with a monetary sum, whichcard is used together with the device disclosed in the above-mentionedEuropean patent application. Although not contemplated at present, it isconceivable to use SIM cards for operating wire-connected communicationapparatus as well and to carry out the billing no longer connected tothe apparatus, but rather to the card.

On the SIM card is an electronic chip which can be electricallyconnected, via a contact field, which consists of a plurality ofindividual electrical contacts, to a read-write device disposed in thecommunication apparatus. The chip comprises, among other things, astorage means in which a monetary value is stored. When telephone callsare made or when other services are performed, debits are gradually madeagainst the stored value and the amount must be reload by the cardholder when it reaches zero or a certain minimum. Until now, thisprocedure has been relatively complicated. It is namely intended thatthe card holder pays a certain amount of money at a post office, whichmonetary sum is then transmitted by the postal service to an electronicbilling module (Customer Care and Billing System for Mobilcom, orMOBIA). The sum paid in by the subscriber is then transmitted by thebilling module as a monetary sum, together with the subscriber'sidentification data, to an operating center for special services (SIMService Center, or SSC). There, according to a special service orfunction, a short message is prepared which then, the next time thesubscriber uses the telephone, transmits the monetary sum to the SIMcard by means of a short message, and reloads or loads the respectiveamount onto the monetary value stored there.

This procedure which belongs to the state of the art is illustrated inthe block diagram for a mobile network in FIG. 1. Reference numeral 1thereby designates a postal deposit slip by means of which a payment canbe made at a payment point such as a post office 2. The correspondinglypaid in monetary sum is forwarded as a monetary value, together with thesubscriber identification, to the aforementioned billing module 3, whichensures that a short message is prepared in a service center for specialservices 4. This short message 5 is then transmitted via a mobiletelephone 6, the next time the respective subscriber uses it, to his SIMcard 7 inserted in that telephone 6. The monetary value contained in theshort message is stored on the SIM card 7. This card is reloaded orloaded with the paid-in monetary sum.

This procedure, particularly for carrying out the payment at a postoffice, is relatively complicated. It is therefore the object of thepresent invention to look for a solution with which the paying in of amonetary sum to load or reload a SIM card is simplified.

This object is attained with a method having the steps set forth in thecharacterizing part of claim 1.

A main advantage of the inventive method is that the value card can bepurchased at many sales outlets, such as shops, kiosks, or post offices.This eliminates the tiresome procedure of filling out a deposit slip anddepositing an amount at a post office to load or reload a certain datamedium card, particularly a SIM card.

The amount to be paid for a value card corresponds at the same time tothe maximum sum by which a certain data medium card, particularly a SIMcard, can be reloaded or loaded.

The value card has a concealed code field which serves the added purposeof indicating, when its covering is intact, that the card has not yetbeen used. After the code field has been uncovered, e.g., by scrapingaway a concealing layer, a code is exposed which serves to prepare thereloading or loading of a certain SIM card via any desired communicationdevice connected to a public communication network. After calling acertain service number, the holder of the value card is prompted bymeans of an audio response menu to enter the code into the communicationdevice, e.g., to key it in. The subscriber is thereby connected to adata base in which all the codes and associated monetary sums are storedfor which value cards have ever been produced. If the keyed-in code isfound in the data base, a short message is prepared according to the GSMPhase 2 standard and is filed in a short message service center. At thesame time, the code and the associated monetary sum are marked as usedin the data base or are cancelled. If the subscriber calls theaforementioned service number using a communication apparatus in whichhis SIM card is inserted, his personal identification stored on the SIMcard is automatically recognized. After the code has been entered, it isknown to whom the monetary sum is to be credited. The short messageprepared and stored in a short message service center contains thesubscriber's identification code and the monetary sum. If the call tothe aforementioned service number is made from a communication apparatusin which no SIM card can be used, e.g., from an ordinary telephone, thesubscriber is prompted after entering the code to enter also theidentification code of the SIM card for which the monetary sum isintended.

The value card can also be used for normal telephoning. In this case, inone process step, after calling the aforementioned service number, thecaller is asked by means of automatic voice output whether a data mediumcard is supposed to be loaded or reloaded, or whether a telephone callis to be made. In the case where a telephone call is made, after thecode number is entered, the amount for the call is calculated on thebasis of the subscriber called and the length of the call, and is eitherrecorded in the data base or already deducted from the monetary sumstored there. In this case, if a data medium card is subsequently loadedor reloaded, the full monetary sum can obviously no longer be creditedbut only the remainder after deduction of all amounts for calls.

As already mentioned, the value card has a field containing a code whichis concealed by an opaque, removable layer when purchased. Completeconcealment of this field is a guarantee that the purchased value cardis really new and has never been used. A similar card having a layer tobe scraped away is described in European Patent Application PublicationNo. 0 689 163 A1. There it is a question of a data medium cardcomprising a chip having a plurality of electrical contacts forconnection to a card reader. In order to determine whether or not thedata medium card has already been used, at least some of the electricalcontacts are covered by a layer which can be scraped away. The card isused for making telephone calls. It has in addition in the chip acertain number of call units which are gradually debited duringtelephoning. The card can also have a second concealed field coveredwith a layer to be scraped away, in which field a lottery number becomesvisible, for instance, after it has been scraped. However, this priorart card is not intended for crediting other data medium cards with amonetary sum.

Value cards which comprise a code, which must be given to a servicecenter in order to be able to gain access to certain telephone servicesis already known from WO 95/35619. It is not described in this document,however, how such data medium cards can be loaded or reloaded.

EP-A1-0 589 757 describes a method to transmit prepaid reload amountsthrough a telecommunications system. This application describes aboveall the securing of the transmission.

Until now it is provided that the communication apparatus which can beoperated with the data medium card, particularly with a SIM card, is amobile telephone having a card reader based on the GSM standard.Although not yet currently planned, it may naturally be provided in thefuture that wire-connected telephones, too, may have a card reader andbe used with a SIM card belonging to the respective subscriber orcaller. The whole billing procedure of the telecommunications companywould then no longer take place per wired, wire-connected communicationapparatus, such as a telephone, but exactly the same way per SIM cardholder instead.

As described above, the subscriber is guided by an audio responsesystem. This system is constructed as a speech server which isintegrated in the communication network and can be called by means ofthe aforementioned service number. Access to the speech server may takeplace via a wire-connected communication network or a mobile network.The installation likewise comprises a billing module connected to theaudio response system and the data base, on the one hand, and, on theother hand, has a connection to the short message service center. Thepurpose of this billing module is, for one thing, to forward to theshort message service center messages which come from the data base andcontain an identification code and a monetary sum by which the SIM cardindicated by the code is to be loaded or reloaded, and for anotherthing, to prepare respective short messages for sums of money depositedaccording to the state of the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the method according to the state of theart,

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the method according to theinvention,

FIG. 3 is a first flow chart showing the steps at the beginning of themethod according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a second flow chart showing the steps for loading or reloadinga certain data medium card according to the present invention, and

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a third flow chart showing the steps of the methodwhen using the value card according to the invention for ordinarytelephoning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates in a block diagram a state of the art alreadydescribed in the introduction to the specification.

FIG. 2 shows in a block diagram hardware components needed for carryingout the method according to the invention.

Reference numeral 25 designates a plant where value cards, e.g., ofcardboard or plastics, are produced. Imprinted on each value card is amonetary value, e.g., 10, 20, 50, or 100 units of currency. Each valuecard 26 is provided in an area intended for that purpose with a code 15on a code field 14. The field 14, or respectively this region, is thencovered with a removable layer 22, which is opaque so that the code onnew value cards 26 is no longer visible. Advertisements, for example,may be printed on the surfaces of the value cards. It is also possibleto print thereon instructions for using the value card. It may alreadybe mentioned at this time that when the value cards are produced at theplant 25, the code 15 and monetary sum 28 associated with each new valuecard 26 produced are transmitted in a status block 33 to a ratingplatform 16 and stored there in a data base 17.

The newly made value cards 26 are then sent to sales outlets 27, e.g.,to kiosks, shops, post offices, etc. In as wide a sales network aspossible, the value cards may be purchased by paying an amount of money12 equal to the sum printed on the value card. Hence the value card 26is also called a prepayable value card 13.

A data medium card 7 intended to be loaded or reloaded comprises in anelectronic chip a storage means 11 in which, besides an identificationcode 29, the value of a monetary sum is also stored, among other things.The value need not necessarily correspond to an amount of currency butmay be divided into rate units instead. For communication apparatus usedin a mobile network, the identification code may be the mobile telephonesystem number, for instance.

For loading or reloading the data medium card 7, this card is insertedin a card reader 23 provided for that purpose in a communicationapparatus 6, usually a mobile telephone. The removable layer 22 of theprepaid data carrier card 13 is now removed. The removable layer 22 ispreferably made so that it can just be scraped off with a fingernail.The code 15 in the code field 14 then becomes visible.

In further steps of the method for loading or reloading the data mediumcard, which may also be seen in the flow charts of FIGS. 3 and 4, aservice number is now dialed. The service number may be printed on thevalue card. After the service number has been dialed, the mobiletelephone in the example shown is connected over the communicationnetwork 10, operating in a wireless way, the mobile network, and overthe communication network 9, operating in a wire-connected way, forexample an ISDN, to the voice output system 21, a speech server 21. Thisoperation corresponds to block 39 of the flow chart of FIG. 3. Accordingto block 40, the subscriber is greeted in several languages. Accordingto block 41, the speech server now prompts the subscriber by means of aspoken communication to enter the desired menu language. Depending onthe region, the subscriber may choose from among several languages, say,German, French, Italian and English, for instance.

After this has taken place, the speech server prompts the subscriber,according to block 42 in the flow chart of FIG. 3, in the selectedlanguage to enter the code of his value card.

Based upon the value card code entered by the subscriber, the speechserver recognizes the type of card. The value card can thereby bedistinguished from other telecommunications cards, such as, for example,the Swiss Telecom card, intended for other functions. This operation issymbolized by block 43 of the flow chart in FIG. 3.

Two functions are foreseen for the value card: firstly, the loading orreloading, according to the invention, of a data medium card with amonetary sum, and secondly, the use of the value card for makingordinary telephone calls. The flow chart in FIG. 4 shows the steps ofthe method to be carried out for loading or reloading the data mediumcard. After entering the service service number, the subscriber isprompted per block 44 of the flow chart of FIG. 4 to enter whether hewould like to make a telephone call or load a data medium card. In theflow chart shown in FIG. 4, the subscriber selects loading or reloadingof the data medium card, as indicated by block 45. The subscriber is nowprompted to enter the identification code or respectively the mobiletelephone system number of the data medium card he would like to loadwith a monetary sum. If, as in the example just described, thesubscriber has dialed the service service number from a mobiletelephone, the identification code for the data medium card inserted inthe mobile telephone can be directly shown on a display of the mobiletelephone (block 47). If it is this data medium card which is supposedto be load, the subscriber need only confirm the identification codedisplayed. Otherwise, he is prompted by the speech server to enter thecorrect identification code. This procedure is depicted in blocks 48,49, and 50 of FIG. 4. Once the correct identification code has beenentered, the method of loading or reloading the data medium card nowspecified proceeds as follows. Per block 51 of FIG. 4, a query is madein the data base 17, or respectively a rating is undertaken. For thispurpose, the voice output system 21 is likewise connected to the ratingplatform 16 containing the data base 17. In a message block 31, the code15 entered by the subscriber on the mobile telephone 6 and theidentification code of the data medium card to be reloaded or loadedwith the monetary sum of the value card are communicated to the ratingplatform 16. The rating platform now searches the data base 17 for thecode corresponding to the entered code 15, the former code having beenstored there when the value card was produced, as already mentioned. Ifthe code is not found, the subscriber is prompted via the speech server,according to the loop formed by blocks 53, 52, 51 in FIG. 4, to enterthe code 15 correctly. If this is done, and if the correct code 15 islikewise found in the data base 17, the procedure is terminated for thesubscriber. The rating platform now transmits a message block 32,containing the identification code 29 of the data medium card to beloaded or reloaded, as well as the value of the monetary sum or thenumber of rate pulses with which the designated data medium card is tobe loaded or reloaded, to a billing module 24. The monetary value 28 orthe number of rate pulses by which the data medium card, designated bythe identification code 29, is now to be loaded, has been determinedfrom the data base. This sum was associated with the identification codethere. After the message block 32 has been created, the respective code15 in the data base 17 is marked as having been used or is cancelled.

Based upon the data contained in the message block 32, the billingmodule 24 initializes the creation of a short message 20 via theoperating center for special services 19 in the short message servicecenter 18. There the short message 20 is stored in a data base. The nexttime the data medium card 9 designated by the identification code isactivated in a mobile telephone 6, i.e., when the telephone is switchedon, the short message 20 is transmitted, and the data medium card isloaded or reloaded with the respective monetary sum or respectively witha certain number of rate pulses via the mobile network 10. The procedureis thereby ended.

As indicated by reference numeral 8, the loading or reloading operationmay likewise be carried out from any ordinary telephone wire-connectedto a telephone network—here, for example, to an ISDN network 9. In thiscase, the subscriber must enter manually the identification code ormobile telephone number of the data medium card to be loaded orreloaded. As described above, the subscriber will be prompted to do thisby means of a spoken message from the voice output system 21. The datamedium card 7 shown in dashed lines at the telephone set 8 indicatesthat in the future it might also be possible that every wired telephone8 will no longer be identified by its telephone number but by the datamedium card to be inserted in this telephone apparatus for calling. Thebilling of the telephone charges would then no longer take place to acertain telephone, but instead, as is customary in GSM mobile networks,to a data medium card, especially a SIM card. Although such anembodiment is not provided at this time, it is also intended to becomprised by the present invention.

Instead of the data being entered by means of a service service number,a short message under the GSM standard may be used.

As already stated, the value card 13 may also be used for ordinarytelephoning. The individual steps of this method are shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5. Since the actual telephoning by means of the value carddoes not form part of the invention, and since the flow chart of FIG. 5is self-explanatory, the telephoning procedure need not be explained indetail. It is only to be pointed out that after the telephoning optionhas been selected, and after the telephone number of the subscriberbeing called has been keyed in on the telecommunication apparatus, themaximum calling duration is calculated per block 55 on the basis of thelocation of the calling subscriber and the value of the monetary sum inthe data base 17. If no calculation can take place because the code 15of the value card cannot be found in the data base 17 of the ratingplatform 16, the code is further searched (loop of blocks 56, 57). Ifthe request is valid, the connection to the subscriber being called isestablished. After a connection has successfully been established, atimer is started in the speech server, and the maximum calling durationpreviously calculated is monitored. When the connection is terminated,the cost of the call is calculated in the rating platform 16. The costof the call, or the number of rate pulses corresponding to the cost ofthe call, is stored in the data base 17 of the rating platform 16 as thevalue of the calling amount. Upon loading or reloading the data mediumcard according to the flow chart of FIG. 4, in case telephone calls havebeen made, it is now not the nominal monetary value printed on the valuecard which is credited but rather that value minus the sum of allcalling amounts. If the rate pulses are counted, the difference in valuemay likewise correspond to a number of rate pulses. This procedure takesplace per blocks 59 and 60 of the flow chart of FIG. 5. At the end ofeach call, the remaining monetary sum on the value card is communicatedto the calling subscriber.

When the maximum calling duration calculated has been reached, the callto the called subscriber is automatically terminated. Per blocks 62 and63, the calling amount is calculated in the same way as described withreference to blocks 59 and 60 and is filed in the data base 17 of therating platform 16. The difference between the nominal monetary sum onthe value card and the sum of all calling amounts is now zero.Accordingly, per block 64, the calling subscriber is informed that themonetary sum on the value card has been used up.

If a subscriber tries to telephone after the monetary sum on his valuecard has been transferred to the data medium card, or if it is attemptedto reload or load the data medium card a second time using the samevalue card, a lockout module (not shown in the flow charts) ensures thatthe subscriber of the communication apparatus is informed that the valuecard is invalid. He is prompted a few times to enter a correct code.Since he cannot do so, the program is terminated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for loading or reloading a data mediumcard with a value of a sum of money, which data medium card is providedwith an electronic chip including a storage device in which the value ofthe monetary sum is stored, comprising: purchasing a prepayable valuecard for a certain amount of money, exposing a concealed code field onthe value card by the owner of the card, whereby a code becomes visible,calling a service number for a communication network from acommunication apparatus, whereby a caller is connected to a data base inwhich all codes assigned to value cards and the amount of moneyassociated with each respective code are stored, prompting the caller toenter the code in the calling communication apparatus, comparing theentered code with the codes stored in the data base, if the entered codeis found in the data base, preparing a short message with the value ofthe sum of money to be loaded or reloaded in a short message servicecenter, and temporarily storing the short message, marking as used orcanceling the value of the monetary sum and the code in the data base,and loading or reloading the data medium card to be loaded or reloadedwith the temporarily stored value of the monetary sum via the preparedshort message the next time the data medium card is inserted in acommunication apparatus and a connection is established with thecommunication network, wherein the data medium card is a SIM card for acommunication device associated with a communication network.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein after the entering of the servicenumber, the communication apparatus is connected to a voice outputsystem, and the further portions of the method are carried outvoice-controlled.
 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprisingusing the value card for telephoning, a calling amount being calculatedfrom the length of the call to a called subscriber, and the callingamount being recorded in the data base or deducted from the value of themonetary sum upon termination of the call, wherein only the differencebetween the value of the monetary sum and the sum of all calling amountsis then used for loading or reloading the data medium card.
 4. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus forcalling the service number is selected from the group consistingessentially of wireless communication devices working according to theGSM standard and wire connected telephone sets.
 5. A method for loadingor reloading a data medium card with a value of a sum of money, whichdata medium card is provided with an electronic chip including a storagedevice in which the value of the monetary sum is stored, comprising:purchasing a prepayable value card for a certain amount of money,exposing a concealed code field on the value card by the owner of thecard, whereby a code becomes visible, preparing a short messageaccording to the GSM standard, entering the code in the communicationapparatus used when prompted to enter a message text, and communicatingthe short message to a data base in which data base all codes assignedto value cards and the amount of money associated with each respectivecode are stored, comparing the entered code with the codes stored in thedata base, if the entered code is found in the data base, preparing ashort message with the value of the sum of money to be loaded orreloaded in a short message service center, and temporarily storing theshort message, marking as used or canceling the value of the monetarysum and the code in the data base, and loading or reloading the datamedium card to be loaded or reloaded with the temporarily stored valueof the monetary sum via the prepared short message the next time thedata medium card is inserted in a communication apparatus and aconnection is established with the communication network, wherein thedata medium card is a SIM card for a communication device associatedwith a communication network.
 6. The method according to claim 5,wherein after using the short message, the communication apparatus isconnected to a voice output system, and portions of the method arecarried out voice-controlled.
 7. The method according to claim 5,further comprising using the value card for telephoning, a callingamount being calculated from the length of the call to a calledsubscriber, the calling amount being recorded in the data base ordeducted from the value of the monetary sum upon termination of thecall, wherein only the difference between the value of the monetary sumand the sum of all calling amounts is then used for loading or reloadingthe data medium card.
 8. The method according to claim 5, wherein thecommunication apparatus used for preparing the short message is selectedfrom the group consisting essentially of wireless communication devicesworking according to the GSM standard and wire connected telephone sets.